Mapping local teacher and expatriate leader professional ecologies in Sub-Saharan African International Schools

Bibliographic Data

ID21784473
AuthorsÜnal Deniz (0000-0001-7447-6050, corresponding author)
Year2025
Publication date2025-11-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducational Management Administration & Leadership (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1741-1432 • E-ISSN: 1741-1440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/17411432251397569
OpenAlexW7105840414
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited49

This phenomenological study examines professional relationships between local teachers and expatriate leaders in Sub-Saharan African international schools. The study explores how these educators navigate cultural differences, hierarchical structures, and power dynamics in their professional relationships. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 12 local teachers and expatriate leaders from international schools across 12 Sub-Saharan African countries. Results indicate that successful professional relationships often emerge when expatriate leaders learn to value and integrate local educational wisdom rather than imposing Western standards unilaterally. The study particularly highlights how tribal dynamics, religious considerations, and traditional authority structures shape professional relationships in ways not previously documented in international education literature. This research contributes to international education literature by extending a theoretical understanding of how professional relationships develop in non-Western contexts, revealing unique patterns of cultural capital negotiation in African international schools. The research suggests practical implications for developing culturally responsive leadership programs, restructuring professional development initiatives, and creating institutional policies that promote equitable and sustainable cross-cultural professional relationships in international schools

Cultural diversity · Expatriate · Faculty Development · International education · Negotiation · Power structure · Professional development · Restructuring · Global Education and Multiculturalism · Global Educational Policies and Reforms · International Student and Expatriate Challenges

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